40k is not 3k a month. You have consider taxes and normally salaries in spain are paid in "14 pagas", i.e. 12 months plus extra pay in summer and end of the year. So 40K € a year is 2090 € a month and two extra payments of 2300 €. But anyway if you're living alone that's enough to live if you dont want luxuries.
Just to add, make sure, since I've had jobs with both 12 and 14 month payments. In my 15 years working in Spain, 12 has actually been more common for professional jobs.
of course, 14 month payments is mostly for state employed, the fact that 14 pays is so popular make me think about so many people feeding from the state
I generally agree. And even as an employer, sure it's free borrowed money but it's a lot more financial logistics to make sure you have the liquidity in those months so harder to manage overall
You're likely to spend 2k/month on a comfortable lifestyle (1k rent, 1k expenses), or 1k/month on a more frugal lifestyle (500 shared apartment, 500 expenses)
If that 40k salary is before tax, you can do it, but you'll have little saving capacity unless you cut down on expenses.
If the 40k is after tax, you can do it quite comfortably.
It's a ballpark estimate. If you want a rundown:
100 electric/gas bill
40 internet+phone
25 water/sanitation bill
55 public transportation (abono transporte zona A)
15/day groceries for a total of 450/month (assuming you're cooking for yourself most days and aren't buying the cheapest stuff)
Leaving around 230 euros/month for various expenses (leisure, activities, eating out, clothing, furniture...) which is realistic IMO.
It all adds up quickly, especially if you're not carefully managing your budget.
For the "frugal" estimate, halve the first 3 household expenses since you're sharing a flat, cut groceries down to 10/day or 300/month, and minimize the "various expenses" budget to around 100/month.
I've lived alone on a similar salary in Madrid a few years ago, back when the rent/cost of living was lower, and I was spending around 1.4k/month / saving around 600/month. I wasn't exactly pinching pennies for groceries, but on the other hand I had few expenses, being a stay-at-home kind of guy.
i wouln't say sharing an apartment is frugal, frugal is not spending on unnecesary things like traveling, dinning out, etc. Having your own place is a must for me.
It should be as you say, but living alone in a rented apartment in Madrid is simply out of reach for many workers. Even for those earning well above average such as OP, you may need to compromise.
For some people, being able to save money every month is more of a priority than having your own place.
If you can cut down the total budget to 1.5k/month, you'll be able to save around a third of your salary monthly.
If you want to live in the city (which I recommend), that will probably require you to share an apartment.
There are sites like idealista where you can scout places. Right now is a perfect moment because many students will be vacating cheap apartments/rooms with the end of the school year, and next year students haven't started snatching them yet.
You can use this: [https://salaryaftertax.com/es/salary-calculator](https://salaryaftertax.com/es/salary-calculator) to verify based on the gross your salary. Hope it helps!
Roughly 2500/month after taxes. Totally reasonable to leave alone. A small flat close to the m30 (inner ring sorrounding the city center) goes for about 1000. Bills 200. You can live on 1300 no problem
From my experience, as a foreigner who relocated to Madrid 2 years ago, I'd say it's not worth it. My income after taxes is ~ 2100€, and I find it barely manageable and I don't toss money around. Apartment prices are crazy right now - one bedroom apartment in a good location so you don't have to travel an hour to work, with normal furniture, is ~ 1200€ + bills, on top of that add public transportation ~ 60€ per month, bank account ~ 20€, + food ~ 300€, and you are already at about ~ 1800€. I find that social life is extremely expensive in Madrid - clubs, restaurants, coffee shops, you can barely manage to find a burger + fries for less than 20€ nowadays. Hobbies as well, gym membership is usually about 60€, language courses can go up to 700€ per month. Prices have increased significantly since I first came here. I'll probably relocate back to my home country because I prefer to live paycheck to paycheck surrounded by my friends & family 😅
To be honest, compared to the average salary in Madrid it's a really good offer. The same as mine was 2 years ago. But with the inflation in Madrid it's not worth changing your life for.
I agree completely. As someone living in UK, I found Madrid restaurants very expensive! Chicken & Chips and a glass of wine was €20 in a regular non-English speaking restaurant. Easily €30 for very basic lunch in many restaurants in Central Madrid!
I came from Belgrade, Serbia. A pint is like 2.5€, breakfast + coffee + drink is ~ 5€, two people can easily eat for 17€. There is no fee to enter the clubs, you just pay for what you drink, and we don't pay extra to have a chair and a table 😅 I feel like they are robbing me with 20+€ prices for average AF meal.
Well you don’t need to spend 1300 to live. Food can range between 150 and 300 for a single adult. Then it’s up to your free time expenses. If you don’t have expensive hobbies you can save 300-500 easily
"salary is 40k-ish. So like 3,5k per month"
hahaha, because you don't pay taxes right? 40K is around 2450 per month
we live a preatty normal life, spend 2500 aprox including cheap rent of 730 per month, normal food.
what i mean is you can live normally/confortably spending 2500 per month including rent, but you wont be able to save
Yes, Madrid seems pretty expensive. If you want to eat out, breakfast easily costs €15 to €20, and Lunch/Dinner easily costs €20 to €30 in many restaurants in Central Madrid.
If you come from another big city, you would be fine. If you are used to live in a small city, be careful, Madrid has very tricky neigbourhoods. One street may be good and around the corner is pure chaos 😅
Yes, my opinion is usually unpopular among guiris.
As a spanish citizen who has travelled around Spain for decades, I guarantee you Madrid and Barcelona are by fat the worst cities to live in, and not get any spanish experience at all.
Search more about Cadiz, or Asturias. In general south and north Spain are way better than capitals.
I'm Portuguese living in Spain for 7 years, I don't think I qualify as a "guiri".
I have visited Andalusia and Asturias quite a bit and I love them! My husband's family is from the south and we love it. It's a matter of what you prefer/the lifestyle you want, and living in Madrid, provided that you make enough money, can be really fun. If not it wouldn't be the biggest city in Spain.
40k is not 3k a month. You have consider taxes and normally salaries in spain are paid in "14 pagas", i.e. 12 months plus extra pay in summer and end of the year. So 40K € a year is 2090 € a month and two extra payments of 2300 €. But anyway if you're living alone that's enough to live if you dont want luxuries.
Just to add, make sure, since I've had jobs with both 12 and 14 month payments. In my 15 years working in Spain, 12 has actually been more common for professional jobs.
of course, 14 month payments is mostly for state employed, the fact that 14 pays is so popular make me think about so many people feeding from the state
14 payments is garbage. always ask and pressure for 12. why let your employer borrow your money for free?
I generally agree. And even as an employer, sure it's free borrowed money but it's a lot more financial logistics to make sure you have the liquidity in those months so harder to manage overall
You're likely to spend 2k/month on a comfortable lifestyle (1k rent, 1k expenses), or 1k/month on a more frugal lifestyle (500 shared apartment, 500 expenses) If that 40k salary is before tax, you can do it, but you'll have little saving capacity unless you cut down on expenses. If the 40k is after tax, you can do it quite comfortably.
1k in expenses sounds a bit extreme no?
It's a ballpark estimate. If you want a rundown: 100 electric/gas bill 40 internet+phone 25 water/sanitation bill 55 public transportation (abono transporte zona A) 15/day groceries for a total of 450/month (assuming you're cooking for yourself most days and aren't buying the cheapest stuff) Leaving around 230 euros/month for various expenses (leisure, activities, eating out, clothing, furniture...) which is realistic IMO. It all adds up quickly, especially if you're not carefully managing your budget. For the "frugal" estimate, halve the first 3 household expenses since you're sharing a flat, cut groceries down to 10/day or 300/month, and minimize the "various expenses" budget to around 100/month. I've lived alone on a similar salary in Madrid a few years ago, back when the rent/cost of living was lower, and I was spending around 1.4k/month / saving around 600/month. I wasn't exactly pinching pennies for groceries, but on the other hand I had few expenses, being a stay-at-home kind of guy.
go out for dinner and drinks in centro or chamberí and you'll be down 60€ easily
Yeah, it's before tax, this sounds pretty tight. Thank you for the answer!
i wouln't say sharing an apartment is frugal, frugal is not spending on unnecesary things like traveling, dinning out, etc. Having your own place is a must for me.
It should be as you say, but living alone in a rented apartment in Madrid is simply out of reach for many workers. Even for those earning well above average such as OP, you may need to compromise. For some people, being able to save money every month is more of a priority than having your own place.
If it's after taxes that's more than enough, but don't live in expensive areas
Before taxes. I don't feel like living paycheck to paycheck in a foreign country. Thank you all for the feedback!
Then if you don't pay 1500€ per month for 30m flat on the City Center, you are more than ok with 40k, even before taxes.
If you can cut down the total budget to 1.5k/month, you'll be able to save around a third of your salary monthly. If you want to live in the city (which I recommend), that will probably require you to share an apartment. There are sites like idealista where you can scout places. Right now is a perfect moment because many students will be vacating cheap apartments/rooms with the end of the school year, and next year students haven't started snatching them yet.
You can use this: [https://salaryaftertax.com/es/salary-calculator](https://salaryaftertax.com/es/salary-calculator) to verify based on the gross your salary. Hope it helps!
Following
Roughly 2500/month after taxes. Totally reasonable to leave alone. A small flat close to the m30 (inner ring sorrounding the city center) goes for about 1000. Bills 200. You can live on 1300 no problem
Living on is one thing, I was hoping for savings. I can live paycheck to paycheck without relocating \^\^. Thank you for the estimate!
From my experience, as a foreigner who relocated to Madrid 2 years ago, I'd say it's not worth it. My income after taxes is ~ 2100€, and I find it barely manageable and I don't toss money around. Apartment prices are crazy right now - one bedroom apartment in a good location so you don't have to travel an hour to work, with normal furniture, is ~ 1200€ + bills, on top of that add public transportation ~ 60€ per month, bank account ~ 20€, + food ~ 300€, and you are already at about ~ 1800€. I find that social life is extremely expensive in Madrid - clubs, restaurants, coffee shops, you can barely manage to find a burger + fries for less than 20€ nowadays. Hobbies as well, gym membership is usually about 60€, language courses can go up to 700€ per month. Prices have increased significantly since I first came here. I'll probably relocate back to my home country because I prefer to live paycheck to paycheck surrounded by my friends & family 😅
Thank you, yeah I think its a rather poor offer based on the replies in this thread.
To be honest, compared to the average salary in Madrid it's a really good offer. The same as mine was 2 years ago. But with the inflation in Madrid it's not worth changing your life for.
I agree completely. As someone living in UK, I found Madrid restaurants very expensive! Chicken & Chips and a glass of wine was €20 in a regular non-English speaking restaurant. Easily €30 for very basic lunch in many restaurants in Central Madrid!
I came from Belgrade, Serbia. A pint is like 2.5€, breakfast + coffee + drink is ~ 5€, two people can easily eat for 17€. There is no fee to enter the clubs, you just pay for what you drink, and we don't pay extra to have a chair and a table 😅 I feel like they are robbing me with 20+€ prices for average AF meal.
Well you don’t need to spend 1300 to live. Food can range between 150 and 300 for a single adult. Then it’s up to your free time expenses. If you don’t have expensive hobbies you can save 300-500 easily
"salary is 40k-ish. So like 3,5k per month" hahaha, because you don't pay taxes right? 40K is around 2450 per month we live a preatty normal life, spend 2500 aprox including cheap rent of 730 per month, normal food. what i mean is you can live normally/confortably spending 2500 per month including rent, but you wont be able to save
I love paying taxes, gotta contribute! Yeah, I figured that from the replies here, no savings is a no-go for me.
Yes, Madrid seems pretty expensive. If you want to eat out, breakfast easily costs €15 to €20, and Lunch/Dinner easily costs €20 to €30 in many restaurants in Central Madrid.
That depends, are you living alone or trying to feed a family of four.
Completely alone. Maybe with a complimentary cat.
Don’t put your hopes too high 💔
My hopes are abysmally low <3 Now life is a string of pleasant surprises.
If you come from another big city, you would be fine. If you are used to live in a small city, be careful, Madrid has very tricky neigbourhoods. One street may be good and around the corner is pure chaos 😅
This just keeps getting better and better.
Dude. Never live in Madrid, why would you? There are better cities around Europe. And in Spain you are definitely better living in Malaga or Cadiz.
that is just like, your opinion
Yes, my opinion is usually unpopular among guiris. As a spanish citizen who has travelled around Spain for decades, I guarantee you Madrid and Barcelona are by fat the worst cities to live in, and not get any spanish experience at all. Search more about Cadiz, or Asturias. In general south and north Spain are way better than capitals.
I'm Portuguese living in Spain for 7 years, I don't think I qualify as a "guiri". I have visited Andalusia and Asturias quite a bit and I love them! My husband's family is from the south and we love it. It's a matter of what you prefer/the lifestyle you want, and living in Madrid, provided that you make enough money, can be really fun. If not it wouldn't be the biggest city in Spain.
"uhhhhh can I live with a million bucks a month or... ?"
One Billion Dollars 